Two AIC funds with a finance focus

These two AIC funds hold much of their portfolios in finance stocks. This sector has risen lately on better-than-expected profits and an improved outlook for the economy as a whole.

We prefer diversified funds. But if you must focus on a particular sector, finance still offers… Read More

Two large-cap buys with a finance focus

BMO DIVIDEND FUND $37.58 (BMO Mutual Funds, 77 King Street West, Suite 4200, Royal Trust Tower, Toronto, Ont., M5K 1J5, 1-800-665-7700; Web site: www.bmo.com. No load — deal directly with the bank) (CWA Rating: Conservative) currently holds about 43.3% of its portfolio in the Financial… Read More

Large-cap Buys With a Focus on 2 Sectors

BMO DIVIDEND FUND $34.97 (BMO Mutual Funds, 77 King Street West, Suite 4200, Royal Trust Tower, Toronto, Ont., M5K 1J5, 1-800-665-7700; Web site: www.bmo.com. No load — deal directly with the bank) (CWA Rating: Conservative) currently holds about 35.1% of its portfolio in the Financial… Read More

A Large-cap Fund We Like

FIDELITY CANADIAN LARGE CAP FUND $17.11 (CWA Rating: Conservative) (Fidelity Investments Canada, 483 Bay St., Suite 200, Toronto, Ont. M5G 2N7. 1-800-263-4077; Web site: www.fidelity.ca. Load fund — available from brokers) invests mostly in large-sized firms like those on the S&P/TSX Index, although it may… Read More

Ivy Canadian Fund $24.81

IVY CANADIAN FUND $24.81 (CWA Rating: Conservative) invests in high-quality, large capitalization stocks.

The $2.6 billion fund’s top holdings include Shoppers Drug Mart, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Manulife Financial, Canadian National Railway, Becton Dickinson & Co., Enbridge, McDonald’s Corp., Thomson Reuters, Imperial Oil and Nestle SA.

Ivy Canadian’s breakdown… Read More

Ivy Funds: 2 Buys, 2 Sells & One Hold

At one time, mutual funds within a particular ‘fund family’ often shared some key investment characteristic, such as a conservative or aggressive investment approach, or a stress on value as opposed to growth.

However, due to corporate mergers and takeovers in the mutual-funds industry, and more… Read More

AIC Diversified Canada Fund $42.87

AIC DIVERSIFIED CANADA FUND $42.87 (CWA Rating: Conservative) mainly holds shares of Canadian companies of average or above-average quality. It also holds stocks of some U.S. firms.

The $1.0 billion fund’s 10 largest holdings are Power Financial, Canadian Oil Sands Trust, TD Bank, Shoppers Drug Mart,… Read More

Two Buys From AIC with a Finance Focus

These two AIC funds hold much of their portfolios in financial services stocks. This sector has moved down lately, mostly on concerns over a lack of liquidity for asset-backed securities and exposure to the U.S. subprime residential mortgage market.

We prefer diversified funds. But if you… Read More

BMO Dividend Fund $44.99

BMO DIVIDEND FUND $44.99 (BMO Mutual Funds, 77 King Street West, Suite 4200, Royal Trust Tower, Toronto, Ont., M5K 1J5, 1-800-665-7700; Web site: www.bmo.com. No load — deal directly with the bank) (CWA Rating: Conservative) currently holds about 36.3% of its portfolio in the Financial… Read More

Large-cap Buys With a Finance Focus

BMO Dividend and RBC Canadian Dividend hold mostly high-quality stocks. Even high-quality stocks sometimes run into trouble and go through lengthy struggles, just like lesser investments. Eventually, though, most solve their problems and go on to thrive anew.

Both funds hold a high proportion of their… Read More